Laura Murray
Scotland’s Laura Murray claims the day one lead at Rügenwalder Mühle Ladies Open with a stunning eight-under round of 64 at the Golf Club am Meer. Germany’s Luisa Dittrich ended the day two adrift of Murray after a terrific six-under 66 in her home event, whilst Sweden’s Isabella Deilert is a shot further back on -5.
Murray made the perfect start to her round with successive birdies on the opening two holes in Bad Zwischenahn. A huge drive led to a third birdie at the par-5 seventh before a rare missed drive at the ninth slipped the leader back to two-under at the midway point.
After a solid opening nine holes, the experienced Scot found her rhythm down the back nine with six birdies and no dropped shots coming back. Murray has been frustrated in recent weeks with strong tee-to-green play being let down on the putting surface but speaking after the round Murray had no such frustrations with a change of putter proving the key to her change in fortunes at the German course.
“I hit the ball pretty solid off the tee which I’ve been doing a lot recently so it was just a matter of keeping up that momentum from previous tournaments. And then I actually sneakily put a new putter in the bag today, one that I haven’t used before in a tournament, because I feel like I’m definitely due some putts and I did – I holed more than my fair share today! So, that was good. But I hit it pretty close quite a lot of times today so it was solid.”
Murray last tasted victory on the LET Access Series in 2016 taking the Elisefarm Ladies Open crown and the Scot looks set to challenge for a Series title once again this week. Murray has four consecutive top-10 finished on the Tour and with the new putter in the bag will be confident of higher honours in the season’s penultimate event and thoughts of moving up into the top 5 spots and claiming an LET card for next season.
“Obviously we only have two events left so I’m trying to not really think about it. I’ve been playing solid for two months so it’s just trying to do the same as I have been and the results will sort themselves out. We can only do what we can do, and if it works out then that’s a bonus.”
One of the players looking to usurp the Scottish leader is German Luisa Dittrich. The 26-year-old recorded five birdies and a spectacular eagle on the 386-yard fourth to end the day two behind Murray heading into the second day’s play.
“I hit good wedges and made a lot of putts. I hit a lot of greens and I made a good shot for a 2. I think I got to 142 and took a seven and then got it in!”
The Dassendorf resident is yet to record a victory on the LET Access Series but looks set to remain in contention after an assured showing in her home nation event.
Sweden’s Isabella Deilert is also in the mix after a strong five-under opening round at the Rügenwalder Mühle Ladies Open. Deilert made a blistering start with four birdies in the opening seven holes with the course playing long suiting the big-hitting Swede.
The back nine was a more up-and-down affair with two bogeys interspersed with a birdie at the fifteenth before a stunning eagle at the par-5 eighteenth. A huge downwind drive on the last gave the Swede a simple 140m 8-iron approach to the final green. Deilert left it close and holed the putt to finish the round in style on -5, the Swedish player’s lowest round of the season.
“My game was really strong off the tee and to the hole I really didn’t have to put much effort into my putts since they were so close. So, it started off good and then the back nine I struggled a bit with putting but managed to finish off with a really nice eagle there.”
With the Rügenwalder Mühle Ladies Open the final event before the season ending Road to La Largue Final, Friday’s second round is crucial for many players with vital qualifying points up for grabs. Overnight leader Murray will be conscious that a large group of players remain in contention and equally determined to secure a LET Access Series victory as the end of the season approaches setting the scene for a terrific day’s play once again in Bad Zwischenahn.
